Overview
- Schwab began a phased retail rollout of direct spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading in May 2026 through Thinkorswim and Charles Schwab Premier Bank with a 0.75% transaction fee.
- The firm is targeting a mid-2027 launch of an advisor-facing platform that would add spot trading, custody and in-kind transfer tools, a timeline the company says is on track but still subject to change.
- Schwab built its own internal transaction and record-keeping ledger for the advisor service rather than licensing third-party crypto infrastructure to keep custody control within its operations.
- Key product details for advisors — including pricing, which assets will be supported, and any transfer limits — have not been announced and remain under design.
- Because Schwab oversees a very large custody network, bringing native crypto custody and transfers into its advisor workflows could move substantial client crypto holdings into regulated accounts and simplify reporting for wealth managers.